22 Injured in Military Parachute Training
At least 22 soldiers were hurt as hundreds parachuted onto a Mississippi military base during a training exercise. Army spokesperson says some of the paratroopers were blown off course from their landing zone into a group of pine trees.
A number of U.S. soldiers in a parachute training exercise were injured after being blown off course into a stand of pine trees at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. At least 15 of the people were treated by medics, and another seven were hospitalized, said U.S. Army spokesman John Pennell. Staff Sgt. John Healy said none of the injuries are considered to be life-threatening.
The training exercise involved 650 soldiers jumping from C-130 planes Wednesday night. When some were blown off course, they landed in a stand of pine trees and several became entangled in the branches and had to be rescued.
The troops for Camp Shelby belong to the 4th Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division stationed at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. A statement made by the Mississippi National Guard said that the training is set to continue once all of the soldiers have been accounted for. The training is part of a monthlong training called “Operation Arctic Anvil” involving about 3,000 troops.
“Soldiers always place the mission first,” the statement said.
The statement also said injuries on training like this are not only common, but anticipated. “Prior to the jump,” the national guard had notified Forrest General Hospital “of the potential influx of patients and the types of injuries to be expected and emergency vehicles were on standby at Camp Shelby prior to the jump.”
Read more about the topic from this AP news article.